Compare towns
Cornish vs Holderness vs South Berwick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cornish has the oldest population (median age 54).
Holderness has the highest household income ($108k).
South Berwick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.4%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Cornish | Holderness | South Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,816Lowest |
1,917 |
7,670Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
39.4±7.4 about the U.S. average |
39±2.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Cornish and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±9.3 U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| South Berwick and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
31.4%±4.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Holderness and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.6%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| South Berwick and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,821±$2kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$107,863±$45kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$99,572±$13k 23% above U.S. |
| Holderness and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$363,100±$60k 9% above U.S. |
$428,300±$26kHighest 29% above U.S. |
| South Berwick and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$2,068±$385Highest 46% above U.S. |
$1,726±$83 22% above U.S. |
| Holderness and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796Highest 86% above U.S. |
$3,923Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$4,956 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
23.5%±21.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.5%±24.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| South Berwick and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest same as U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.6%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| South Berwick and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #58 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Cornish School District | Holderness School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Marshwood High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.0 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.